Odisha govt. recommends HC benches in western and southern parts

BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Saturday recommended the Centre that permanent benches of the Orissa high court be set up in western and southern parts of the state, sources said.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik, in a letter to Union law minister Kapil Sibal, justified establishment of HC benches in places other than its principal seat in Cuttack provided all legal parameters were met. “The justifications are in tune with the Justice Jaswant Singh committee recommendations,” another source added. In 1986, the commission gave its report on setting up HC benches and laid down broad principles and criteria for it.

In his letter, Naveen said the state government would provide infrastructure and other support for the proposed benches. It came on a day the HC bar association opposed the proposed benches.

The state government’s letter came amid widespread protests in different regions of the state, pressing for HC benches. Lawyers of western Odisha, under the Central Action Committee banner, have been agitating for over two months seeking establishment of a bench in their Lawyers of southern and other parts of the state are also batting for HC benches in their regions.